The idea of this post started when over the years we were approached by other parents – friends, colleagues, and relatives who live abroad – asking questions like ‘We’d like to go on a family vacation to Crete but where exactly should we go?’ Or ‘Do you know any nice hotels in Crete which are kid-friendly?’ Because we know the island really very well and have visited many Cretan resorts and hotels over the years, we collected our favorites in our list of the Best Family Hotels in Crete!
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Crete with Kids – Where to stay
My favorite town in Crete is Chania (beautiful, romantic, charming) and cosmopolitan Agios Nikolaos (great base for East Crete and relaxing). Rethymnon is a smaller, less touristy version of Chania. For a beach holiday, I would pick the seaside family hotels and resorts West of Chania. Elounda is a beautiful high-end beach resort. Heraklion is the capital of Crete with one of the best archaeological museums of Greece and its most famous archaeological site, after the Acropolis.
The Minoan Palace of Knossos (just outside Heraklion) is the top historical monument on the island. In Where to stay in Crete with Kids | The regions of Crete you will find more detailed information about each region, its see & do’s, and the best beaches. If you have already decided what region you will stay in, you can find the best family hotels in Crete per region below.
The 10 Best Kid-Friendly Hotels in Crete
Here below we listed the 10 best kid-friendly hotels in Crete. After the best 10, you will also find a list of hotels in the districts of Heraklion and Chania. For Chania, we have further listed the best boutique hotels in the historic old town.
Amirandes, Grecotel Boutique Resort – Gouves
Amirandes Grecotel Boutique Resort was designed with families and luxury in mind. Located at a superb spot with golden sandy beaches, gardens, and palm-fringed lagoons in Gouves, Amirandes Grecotel Boutique Resort features an Olympic-sized seawater pool, a children’s pool, and a spa center with an indoor pool, sauna, and fitness equipment. Guests can choose among 10 top-quality restaurants and bars.
Family suites with pools and beautifully decorated family rooms, bungalows, and villas are great for parents with kids. The Spa uses organic plants and extracts from Crete’s aromatic herbs. Families will love the on-site sports facilities, such as the tennis courts or the 5×5 football court. A variety of activities and facilities, including a playground, children’s pools, and a kid’s club, are also available.
Elounda Bay Palace – Elounda
The Elounda Peninsula with its luxury resorts is surrounded by a stunning turquoise bay, just a 15-minute drive from Spinalonga, the former leper’s island just offshore from the taverna-filled fishing village of Plaka. The ruins of Knossos are an hour’s drive (72 km) to the west, where you’ll also find Heraklion airport.
A Member of the Leading Hotels of the World Hotel, beachfront Elounda Bay Palace offers à la carte serving Cretan dishes, while inside there’s a buffet place. As for the 3 pools, there’s a big main one, an indoor one and a children’s pool. Pockets of sandy beach run along the front of the hotel. And it’s just a 10-minute walk to Elounda’s shops and tavernas.
Elounda Mare Relais & Châteaux Hotel & Porto Elounda – Elounda
The boutique luxury resort Elounda Mare Relais & Châteaux Hotel consists of hotel rooms (in the main building) en luxury bungalows with pools. With calm quiet bays and small sandy beaches, this resort is chic as well as charming. Families can also use the facilities of the next-door sister hotel Porto Elounda that is only a short walk away.
Porto Elounda is another one of the best family hotels in Crete. The resort offers a spa, kids club, and golf court. Kids can enjoy morning and afternoon sessions in the Kids Club (for ages five and up), the pretty shaded kids crèche (for children starting at 4 months old), and football and baking sessions.
St. Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel & Villas – Agios Nikolaos
St. Nicolas Bay is conveniently situated in Eastern Crete, on the way from Agios Nikolaos to Elounda, close to the area’s most renowned sites and attractions making it the perfect base for your island excursions in East Crete. Parents will love rejuvenating in the spa while kids enjoy the mini club, games room, TV lounge, or seawater paddling pool. The hotel also offers babysitting services!
Fodele Beach Water Park Resort – Fodele
Fodele Beach Hotel is an all-inclusive car-free resort village 25 km west of Heraklion Airport. Carved into the cliffside and overlooking the sea, Fodele Beach & Water Park Resort offers authentic Greek hospitality. The resort village consists of bungalows inside beautiful gardens, guestrooms, a beautiful private beach and the wettest and wildest water rides in Crete.
Grecotel Lux Me White Palace – Rethymnon
Families who like to be pampered have come to the right place at LUX ME White Palace, one of the best 5-star hotels in Crete. This chic hotel right on the beach offers a very personalized service, a warm welcome from the entire staff, accompanied by culinary delights in the à la carte restaurants, a great view and family suites and family bungalows with private pools.
Kids will love the SWIM UP family guest room, the praline shop, Grecoland Kids Club, Agrecofarm, Kids Dining, and the family entertainment program movies, and Veranda Full Moon & White Nights; the resort’s signature color- a poolside party spiced up with a professional show.
Family Hotels in Crete: Atlantis Beach Hotel – Rethymnon
In this list of some of the best family hotels in Crete, we would also add the unpretentious and very comfortable Atlantis Beach Hotel situated on the boulevard of Perivolia, a more peaceful area of Rethymnon. The hotel faces a fabulous sandy beach of approximately 14 km in length with a crystal clear sea perfect for safe swimming. The beach has been awarded the Blue Flag. The hotel features several restaurants, a large pool with a kids’ pool, and a playground. The old town of Rethymnon is within a 20-minute walk distance.
Creta Palace – Rethymnon
The five-star luxury Creta Palace is one of the most famous kid-friendly hotels in Greece. With a large choice of family accommodation, Grecoland Kids Club, water park, private long golden sandy beach, spa, and a dazzling Kids & Family Program with an abundance of activities including swimming, water sports, mountain biking, tennis, beach volley, diving and summer camps (Soccer Camp, make up courses, Be a Model, Cooking, Inline Skating) Creta Palace is the place to be if you want to holiday in Rethymnon with kids.
Minoa Palace Resort & Spa – Platanias
Built within a 35,000-m² area of landscaped gardens, in Platanias, the beachfront Minoa Palace Resort & Spa features 4 pools and a wellness center. Small families will enjoy the bungalows with garden views or the Bungalow Double Twin Rooms with Private Pool as well as the tennis courts and game room. Platanias is a busy seaside resort with lots of fun and activities for families near the historic Old Town of Chania.
Euphoria Resort – Kolymvari
The all-inclusive Euphoria Resort is located in the west of Chania in a quiet area in Kolymvari. The All-Inclusive concept provides family accommodations with a restaurant, free private parking, a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, a water park, a kid’s playground, and a fitness center. Some family suites have their own pool (sharing). The area is popular for golfing and cycling, and car hire is necessary if you want to explore the area with your family.
Wyndham Grand Crete, Mirabello Bay
The luxurious Wyndham Grand Crete Mirabello Bay, a renovated complex of 343 rooms, villas, and bungalows in Lasithi, Crete, was honored with 3 Greek Hotel of the Year 2024 awards: 2 silver awards in the “Gastronomic Hotel/Resort” and “Best Beach Hotel” categories; and a bronze in the“Family-friendly Hotel” category. Mirabello Bay recently added a water park to its fascilities!
Best Hotel for Families in Heraklion
Aquila Atlantis Hotel
Located just 200 yards from the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, the 5-Star Aquila Atlantis hotel has an outdoor pool with views of the harbor, as well as a stylish restaurant. All rooms and suites enjoy views of Heraklion, the harbor, or the hotel’s atrium. They all have a flat-screen TV, coffee machine, and minibar. There is an onsite bar from which you can get a refreshing cocktail before relaxing at the pool. Breakfast is served daily at the lounge bar and meals are available at the main restaurant. There are family rooms and a babysitting service available.
Ibis Styles Heraklion Central
Centrally located in Heraklion Town, the 4-star Ibis Styles Heraklion Central is just a short walk from the main tourist sights as well as the lively areas of the town. All rooms have a wonderful sea or city view and are spacious, well-designed, and have a large 43-inch TV. Air conditioning and free WiFi are offered as standard.
The on-site restaurant offers a great selection of à la carte options for lunch and dinner. At the on-site bar, you can enjoy a wide choice of hot and cold drinks, alcoholic beverages, and signature cocktails. The Ibis Styles Heraklion is perfect for a sightseeing holiday or for families who want to be close to the action.
Amirandes Grecotel Boutique Resort, Gouves
If you do not want to stay inside the city of Heraklion, you can choose one of the resorts outside the city on the sandy coast. The Amirandes Grecotel Boutique Resort is set amongst fragrant gardens and palm-fringed lagoons in Gouves, near Heraklion. One of the best family hotels in Heraklion, it boasts an Olympic-sized seawater pool, a children’s pool, and 10 top-quality restaurants. The rooms, suites, villas, and bungalows are all fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, gentle colors, and designer furnishings. All have air conditioning, a flat-screen tv, and a minibar. Some units even have a private pool.
Family dining options are available in the Amirandes Main restaurant with traditional Mediterranean cuisine, or you’ll find international dishes at the Lago Di Candia Restaurant. Families can also enjoy the on-site sports facilities such as the 3 floodlit tennis courts, or the 5×5 football court. A variety of activities and facilities, including a playground, children’s pools, and a kid’s club, are also available for the younger guests.
Creta Maris Resort, Hersonissos
The 5-star all-inclusive Creta Maris Resort overlooks the Blue Flag Hersonissos Beach. The resort is an alternative for families who want to explore Heraklion, but prefer resort accommodation. At the resort are an impressive 10 outdoor pools as well as 1 heated indoor pool, 5 children’s swimming pools, a water park, open-air cinema, sports facilities, and a children’s playground. This hotel is ideal for families of all ages.
The spacious rooms have comfortable armchairs and elegant, earthy tones. Each has a TV, minibar, coffee-making facilities, and splendid mountain, garden, or sea views. Air conditioning is included in all units. With an all-inclusive program, dining options include Cretan, Mediterranean, and international cuisine. There are 7 restaurants, 5 snack points, and 10 bars available to guests. There is a baby room with toys and a kids’ club and a teenagers’ club with daily activities planned for them.
Galaxy Iraklio Hotel
Located in the high-end district of Heraklion, the 5-star Galaxy Iraklio Hotel has 2 gourmet restaurants, a large freshwater pool, and luxurious rooms. All units have balconies with pool or city views. All rooms are air-conditioned and some even have whirlpools. The Vetri Restaurant serves an American buffet breakfast, and the Per Se Lounge offers casual meals, wines, and cocktails. Every Friday between May and October, there is a live music event. Room service, car rental, and a wellness club are also all available at the Galaxy Iraklio Hotel.
Lyttos Mare, Analipsi
Just 550 yards from Analipsi Beach, the mega-resort Lyttos Mare provides several seasonal outdoor swimming pools, a water park, free private parking, and a shared lounge. The huge complex is for families who want to combine mega resort holidays with the opportunity to explore the city of Heraklion. For children, there is a kids’ club and playground, and families will enjoy the evening entertainment. The hotel also offers an indoor pool, fitness center, and room service. All rooms feature a desk, coffee machine, fridge, flat-screen TV, and a kettle. A buffet breakfast, including vegetarian or vegan options, can be enjoyed each morning. The restaurant services Greek, Asian, and European cuisine.
Crete Golf Club Hotel, Hersonissos
The Crete Golf Club Hotel is located at The Crete Golf Club in Hersonissos just 1.1 miles from Aquaworld Aquarium. It features a seasonal outdoor pool, a fitness center, and a garden. The onsite restaurant serves a range of European cuisine. All units include a flat-screen TV, high-speed WiFi, free toiletries, and a hairdryer. They all have a seating area to relax in. À la carte breakfast is available at the Crete Golf Club Hotel each morning.
Paradise Island Villas, Analipsi
Situated just 0.7 miles from Analipsi Beach, the beautifully designed houses of Paradise Island Villas have a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, private parking, a garden, and a fitness center. À la carte, continental, or full English/Irish breakfast is available each morning. For children there is a playground available, for older children and adults there is a tennis court, and you can enjoy hiking or snorkeling. All beautiful units have a private swimming pool, air-conditioning, a desk, fridge, oven, and a terrace.
Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort, Analipsi
The Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort is set on a private part of Analipsi Beach. It features 2 lagoon-style swimming pools, 3 children’s pools, and 2 tennis courts. There is a water park on-site for all the family to enjoy. All air-conditioned rooms over the garden, the pools, or the Cretan Sea. They include a TV, mini-fridge, and free toiletries, and some units have their own pool. The main restaurant serves international or Mediterranean cuisine and hosts regular themed evenings. The Elia restaurant serves traditional Cretan fare. Guests at Stella Palace can enjoy various sports activities, such as basketball, badminton, and water aerobics.
Out of the Blue Capsis – Agia Pelagia
A few summers ago, we had the chance to visit this large resort on the private peninsula of the picturesque Agia Pelagia, West of Heraklion. Impressed with its many kid-friendly pools, waterslides, Escape Room and Minoan Theme Park, we wrote our review in Out of the Blue Capsis. The luxury resorts consist of a hotel, family bungalows, private villas and a spa. There is also a small but safe and sandy beach in a protected calm baby.
Iolida Beach Hotel, Agia Marina
Iolida Beach Hotel Agia Marina is a 4-star hotel at a few meters’ distance from Agia Marina Beach. The hotel has 2 buildings linked with a glass-walkway bridge providing easy access to all areas of the hotel. Each comes with free wired internet, a TV, and a kitchenette with an oven and mini fridge.
Iolida Beach Hotel offers a buffet breakfast at the on-site, à la carte restaurant, where lunch and dinner dishes are served. Light meals and refreshing beverages are prepared at the snack bar. There is also a children’s playground and a gym. There is a sandy beach in front of the hotel.
Traditional Greek taverns can be found within short walking distance. Souda Port is 17 km away and the city of Chania with its scenic old port is at a distance of 10 km. Ioannis Daskalogiannis International Airport is 30 km away.
Eurohotel Theo Hotel, Agia Marina
4-Star Eurohotel Theo Hotel is a great hotel for families. It is located on a hill 150 m from the sandy beach of Agia Marina. Besides indoor and outdoor pools, there is also a fitness centre and a games room with billiards.
Opening to a balcony with views over the garden or the sea, the air-conditioned rooms of Theo are elegantly decorated with dark-wooden furnishings and earthy colours. The hotel offers an American, and there is a pool bar and restaurant with Greek and Mediterranean dishes. The dinner meal is served as “set menu” courses
Chania Town lies within 9 km from Eurohotel Theo Hotel, while Souda Port is at 16 km. The long, sandy beach of Platanias is 1.5 km away.
Giorgi’s Blue Apartments, Kalathas, Chania
Situated 30 m from the sea, Giorgi’s Blue Apartments offer self-catering accommodation with satellite TV and free Wi-Fi. There is a swimming pool and a children’s pool. Other family features are the children’s playground and babysitting services. An in-house doctor is on call 24 hours a day.
The highlight is the stunning view. You can watch the sunset from the huge swimming pool or from the sun beds on the coves of the private beach, or even from the privacy of your own balcony if you have a sea view apartment.
Breakfast is served daily by the pool. Kalathas is ideal for windsurfing and scuba diving. The sandy Kalathas Beach is within walking distance. Chania is 10 km and Chania Airport is 8 km away. Free public parking is possible near the hotel.
Sirios Village Hotel & Bungalows All Inclusive, Kato Daratso (4-Star)
If you are looking for an all-inclusive family hotel in Chania Crete, Sirios Village Hotel & Bungalows is a top choice! Located 4 km away from the centre of Chania, Sirios Village Hotel & Bungalows features an extensive pool area and a tennis court set within lush gardens. It has family rooms with a balcony overlooking the grass areas of the hotel.
There are many activities for children at the hotel including a playground, a small water park and children’s pools.
Chania International Airport is 14 km away from the hotel. The seaside town of Platanias is within a 10-minute drive. Free private on-site parking is possible and free WiFi is available throughout the entire park.
Kiani Beach Resort Family All Inclusive, Kalyves (5-star)
We also tried Kiani Beach Resort Family All Inclusive. Another great one for families who are looking for an all-inclusive concept. Kiani Beach Resort is on the beach of Kiani, just a few km east of Chania. It has 2 pools, a sea-view restaurant, an open theater, playgrounds, waterpark and a tennis court.
All the family rooms have air conditioning, satellite TV, kitchenette with fridge, hairdryer, and a balcony or terrace.
The shallow beach, the children’s swimming pool, the pirate ship-shaped playground or the open theatre makes this resort a haven for families with young children.
Staff at the 24-hour front desk can arrange car rental to explore villages such as Kalami, Armeni and the archeological site of Aptera. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout. It is 27 km from Chania Airport.
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Althea Village Family Hotel, Kato Daratso
Althea Village Family Hotels is 600 m away from the beach of Agioi Apostoloi. It offers 4 swimming pools, a traditional restaurant, a gym and 2 bars, as well as various accommodation types, all with private balcony.
The Althea Village family rooms and apartments feature private balconies, air conditioning, refrigerator, satellite TV, telephone, and safe. There are 2 swimming pools for adults, 2 pools for children, and an extensive sunbathing terrace with sun loungers and umbrellas.
The food is excellent with Cretan in the traditional tavern Aktaion. The pool-side snack bar Elia serves drinks, cocktails or snacks under the shade of an ancient olive tree. Bar Artemis offers table tennis tables, pool tables and electronic games. Althea Village also offers a playground and a gym.
The centre of Chania is 4 km away and is connected with regular bus service. Within a short distance from the Althea Village, guests can find water sports, horse riding and mini golf facilities.
Balito, Kato Galatas
Balito in Kato Galatas is less than a kilometre away from the sea and is close to the traditional village of Galatas, many eateries and supermarkets. Chania is only a short ride from Balito and Kalamaki Beach is great for kids. But if you don’t go to the beach, you can stay in Balito and enjoy the pool. After a refreshing swim, relax by the pool bar for ice-cream.
Kanso Rooms, Galatas
Kanso Rooms in Galatas are ideal for small families. Located in Galatás, and apposite from Balito, the hotel is a 12-minute walk from to Kalamaki Beach. The rooms offer air-conditioning, a coffee machine, a fridge, a stovetop, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV, a balcony and a private bathroom with a shower. Each room comes with an electric tea pot, bed linen and towels.
The town and the botanical garden of Chania is 2.6 km from the accommodation. The nearest airport is Chania International, 17.7 km from Kanso Rooms, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service.
Best Hotel for Families in Chania Old Town
The family hotels listed below are in the wonderful Chania Old Town and are surrounded by shops, restaurants, bars, and cafés.
Palazzo Duca – Chania
For families who want to stay inside the historic town of Chania, I recommend the Palazzo Duca on a calm and very quiet pedestrian street. Travelers with kids will love the family rooms, the Coco-Mat beds, and the kind staff.
Doge Traditional Hotel – Chania
The 15th-century, Venetian-style Doge Hotel is in Chania’s centre 50 meters from the Venetian Harbour. Featuring inviting, rustic Junior Suites (family of 4) and split-level Suites (family of 5) with tiled floors, wooden ceilings, wrought iron furnishings, 4-poster beds (some), kitchenettes, fridges and tea/coffee makers.
Family Hotels in Crete for Agro-Tourism
Far away from the lively coastal resorts, Crete boasts several unique rustic havens focused on agri-turismos, giving visitors a taste of island hospitality.
Lasinthos Eco Park – Lasithi Plateau
The Lassithi Plateau is famous for its white-sailed metal windmills used to irrigate its lush vineyards and orchards. Up here at an altitude of 850 m, west of Agios Nikolaos, lies the 800 km2 Lasinthos Eco Park. Perfect for families with kids, it is home to wild boar and the endemic Cretan kri-kri, or wild goat. Activities include hiking up to the Diktean Cave (birthplace of Zeus), horse riding, mountain biking, and weaving.
Viglatoras – Herakleion
In the mountainside village of Sarhos, south-west of Heraklion, lies Viglatoras. The main draw here is the five cozy Bohemian flats (sleeping two-four), each a double-height space with a living room centering on a fireplace down below, while wooden stairs lead up to a mezzanine level which serves as the sleeping area.
Kapsaliana Village – Rethymnon
A unique and beautiful accommodation that would be a good enough reason to put this part of Crete on your itinerary.
Enagron – Rethymnon
Enagron centres on a working farm set amid organic vineyards, olive groves and orchards, overlooked by 12 purpose-built stone cottages (sleeping two-six). Activities include botanic walks in spring, hiking on nearby Mount Psiloritis, mountain biking, donkey rides for kids, plus helping on the farm. The restaurant serves tasty food prepared with organic farm products and cookery courses are available.
Villa Athermigo – Chania
A beautiful hotel located in a 250 year-old oil press. It offers elegant, period cottages featuring elegant decoration. Guests have access to a sharing outdoor pool with sunbeds, and a lounge. Featuring minimalist decoration with rustic details, all cottages at the Athermigo share a luxurious lounge, and access to a communal kitchen.
Milia Mountain Retreat – Chania
Milia lies in a high, narrow valley in the isolated mountains. Dating from the 16th century but later abandoned, this tiny settlement of old stone cottages, built higgledy-piggledy into the sides of a rocky dell with chestnut trees and a stream, was reborn in 1982 when two local friends started an organic farm and began restoring the buildings and 14 cottages (sleeping two-four).
Elia – Chania
An old olive farm in the hills of western Crete turned into the perfect little hotel or guesthouse for spoiling holidays. Charming accommodation, traditional Greek meals, a great swimming pool and a small spa centre!
Vamos Traditional Village -Chania
If your family would like to live in a stone and wood village cottage, taste natural honey and virgin olive oil, walk on village paths or local countryside, smell the flowers in bloom, say kalimera (good morning) to the locals, Vamos village is the place to be.
Falassarna Villas – Falassarna
Falasarna Villas are two stone villas, 150 square meters each, are built at the foot of the Prophet Elijah. Located 400 meters from the village of Platanos, Kissamos and 45 km from the city of Chania. The premises have been made with respect to the environment and traditional architecture and have the necessary equipment. The location is quiet but not isolated and ideal for families.
Where to stay in Crete?
- Where to stay in Crete | The regions of Crete
- 5 Best Luxury Resorts in Greece
- Natassa’s family friendly Crete
- South Crete with Kids
- Kolymbari in West Crete
- Lassithi in Crete
Hotel reviews
- Review of Blue Marine Resort Hotel in Crete
- Review of Capsis Out of the Blue Family Resort
- Review of Arolithos Village in Crete
Things to do in Crete with Kids:
- Preveli Palm Trees forest with Kids, Oasis of South Crete
- Visit The Typography Museum in Chania
- Find the most Instagrammable Spots in Crete
- Explore Archaeology for Kids in Chania, Crete
- Visit the Arkadi Monastery in Rethymnon
- Discover Ancient Aptera with the Kids
- Escape to the green forest of Douliana in Chania, Crete
- Visit Knossos with Kids in Heraklion, Crete
- Knossos, where myths are real
- Adventure at Kournas Lake in Rethymnon
Best beaches of Crete
- The Famous Beach of Elafonissi
- The Amazing Beach of Falassarna
- Balos and Gramvousa Island; the best beaches of Crete
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